Read a really positive MCN review of the '05 Ural "Patrol" sidecar rig -- the only street-legal, ready-to-go hack sold in the US.

Apparently the Ural quality has improved dramatically in the last year or so, and both the outsourced goodies (e.g., Brembo 4-pot brakes) and basic construction is much better than it used to be.

Never considered a hack before, but this is a dual-sport model, complete with nice big wheels, part-time 2wd *and* reverse. And it's, like $10k. And there's supposedly a dealer in Colorado Springs.

I've had zero luck getting the SO on either bike in the last couple of years because she's afraid of both of us going down, and I'm annoyed that (by my own standards) I have to wait x number of years before my 4-year-old will be ready to ride pillion.

So with this thing, everybody still has to gear up but there's less chance of falling over and if the SO or kidlet falls asleep they won't be in (any more) mortal danger. Plus, I can carry a bunch of stuff with this thing and be better off on the dirt-over-asphalt roads in CO.

So, what of the 'Busa? Very reliable, excellent motorcycle for the street. On balance, I would prefer to keep the dual-sport (KTM 950) for its all-around usefulness.

The 'Busa is also probably twice as reliable as the KTM or the Ural, so maybe between the two...I'll always have a working bike?

There really is no such thing as the perfect bike, as much as we d-p guys like to think. This is why they made a 1 car garage capable of holding up to 6 bikes. One should have one for each specific purpose, or mood.
Ciao, Steve G.

Extra detail: Maybe I should have said -- I already have an '03 'Busa and an '04 KTM 950. Were this to pan out, I would have to replace one of the above just to keep the financials under control. So, yeah, hence the "'Busa vs. Patrol" thing.

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Well, more to the point -- there are quite a few models that can be mated with an aftermarket sidecar, and Harley even sells a sidecar kit for their regular bikes, but the Urals are (apprarently) the only ones that are designed/built and shipped as complete sidecar rigs.

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This was linked to the ural site:
At first glance, it resembles a BMW and there's a good reason for that impression. The story of IMZ-Ural began late in 1939, when a secret meeting was held in the Defense Ministry of the USSR. The matter under discussion: What model of motorcycle is most suitable for Soviet forces. Settling on the example of BMW, the Soviets secretly bought five bikes in Sweden. By early 1941, the first trail samples of M-72 bikes were shown to Stalin and the go-ahead was given to produce them. Which brings us to today and this classic bike that looks like an older BMW. Even the gearbox and transmission work similarly.

First off you cant get much further apart than an Eye-abuser and a patrol. Its like saying "Hmm. F-16 Falcon or Ultralight....decisions, decisions"

Second, the *only* time a hack is less likely to fall over than a 2 wheeled bike is at a dead stop. If you do get a hack, be very cautuous in learning to pilot it and take a course if it is available. They handle entirely different than a bike. Check the Ural thread in "road warriors" for more thorough comentary.

Thirdly - Urals are far far better than they used to be. But they are no where near the kind of "start it and go" kind of hassle free ride that other modern bikes are. Think of it as buying a BMW /5 with a warranty. The maintenance is easy, repairs are just as easy....but the maintenance is frequent. Initial teething will expose some substandard parts. But the warranty is excellent, parts are readily available, you are able to do warranty work yourself or through any bike shop you choose (with prior arrangement with Ural) So beat the dogpiss out of it during the warranty period. Be meticulous about maintenance and it will run forever. Performance is just about strictly backroad. Flat out in the slow lane on the freeway and you are still getting passed by vegetable trucks. But noodling along on a backroad or exploring a dirt path is a hoot. Kids, dogs, wives love 'em.

I would buy one without a second thought. But I want you to be very aware of what to realisticaly expect.

If you've never ridden a hack, be sure to take a sidecar riding course before you buy. A rig can be neat, but they're not fun to ride, and at times they can be a lot of work. For a family with small children, a rig is a great way to take them along on rides. Another possibility is something like a Yamaha PW50 for the little one, a 125 for your wife and a 250 for you to spend the day riding in the woods together. Of course, that means towing a trailer full of bikes behind some sort of tow vehicle, and soon enough upgrading the PW50 for an 80, maybe a trials bike..."Look Dear, she'll still be riding slow", etc. Even so, that will still be more fun than a sidecar.
Used rigs are available, and worth looking into if you have your heart set on getting one. Especially for a 4 year old, the Ural car might not be the best choice. Certainly, a sidecar outfit is one solution, and overall, may be the least expensive solution, but there are other possibilities.
As long as you're having fun, that's the main thing.